A spectacled caiman was found living in a Toronto home for over a decade and has now been relocated to a zoo.
Toronto Animal Services got a tip about it back in December. The owner had no clue it was illegal to keep such a pet. Jasmine Herzog from Animal Services mentioned that the owner had the caiman for 12 years without knowing the rules.
The good news? The owner willingly gave up the caiman, and it’s now at the Indian River Reptile Zoo, which is a non-profit place east of Peterborough.
They could have faced a $240 fine for having a prohibited animal, but the city decided to let it slide since the owner didn’t know. Herzog pointed out how important it is to know which pets are allowed in Toronto.
And just so you know, there are other banned animals too, like ducks, chimpanzees, and even raccoons, which are basically the city’s unofficial mascots for raiding garbage bins.
